GRS 535
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL IKK.243/2
REGAIVED IN N20BOY NU. XT
- 8 MAR 1983
-
FM GEORGETOWN 041705Z MAR 83
TO PRIORITY FCO
INDEX
TELEGRAN MUMBER 44 OF 4 MARCH
?
INFO PRIORITY PARIS AND HONG KONG
YOUR TELNO 15: FRENCH GUIANA AND VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
(34)
Chal
PA (Resettlement).
1. DURING MY RECENT VISIT TO FRENCH GUIANA I HAD SOME OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS STUMPF'S RECENT VISIT TO FRENCH GUIANA NOTABLY WITH THE COMMISSAIRE DE AL REPUBLIQUE AND LOCAL BUSINESSMEN. BECAUSE OF A RECENT ELECTION AND THE MANE OUVRINGS WHICH FOLLOED IT, THERE WAS NO OPPORTUNITY FOR DISCUSSION WITH LOCAL POLITICIANS.
2. AS BACKGROUND, THE 900 MONGS SETTLED IN FRENCH GUIANA, (NOW 1200 BECAUSE OF THEIR HIGH BIRTHRATE WHICH SUGGESTS THAT NONE OF THEM HAVE LEFT FOR METROPOLITAN FRANCE), WERE CHOSEN BECAUSE THEY FRANCOPHONE AND WERE GRANTED FRENCH CITIZENSHIP. THEY WERE GIVEN LAND, HOUSING AND AN ALLOWANCE OF 40 FRANCS PER HEAD PER DAY FOR THE FIRST FOUR YEARS THAT THEY WERE IN FRENCH GUIANA. THEY ARE A PROBLEM IN FRENCH GUIANA BECAUSE OF THEIR INDUSTRIOUSNESS. THIS HAS DISTRESSED THE LOCAL CREOLES WHO PREFER EMPLOYMENT EITHER FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES OR TO BENEFIT FROM FRENCH SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENTS, AND DISMAYED THE LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE IR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE IS AVAILABLE AT PRICES LESS THAN SIMILAR
PRODUCTS IMPORTED FROM FRANCE. THE LATTER PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED
BY AN AGREEMENT THAT THEY WILL ONLY SELL THEIR PRODUCE AT THE PRICES OF IMPORTED PRODUCTS.
3. THE COMMISSAIRE DE LA REPUBLIQUE, SIL BERZAN, SAID THAT FRANCE WOULD CONTINUE TO FULFIL HER QUOTA IN ACCEPTING VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, BUT THESE WOULD NOT NECESSARILY COME TO FRENCH GUIANA. AMONG THE
REASONS FOR THIS WAS THAT FRENCH GUIANA WAS ANXIOUS TO AVOID THE RACIAL MIXTURE WHICH HAD CAUSED SO MANY PROBLEMS IN GUYANA AND SURINAME AND WOULD PREFER THE POPULATION TO REMAIN BASICALLY CREOLE. THIS HAVING BEEN SAID, HIS RECOLLECTION OF THE DISCUSSION WITH STUMPF WAS THAT HE SAID THAT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES COULD BE ADMITTED TO FRENCH GUIANA IF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS WERE OBSERVED:
(1) THEY SHOULD BE FRANCOPHONE THE NOTE--
(11) THE NUMBER SHOULD BE BETWEEN ONE AND TWO HUNDRED
(111) ALL EXPENSES SHOULD BE PAID
(IV) THE AREA OF SETTLEMENT SHOULD BE CHOSEN BY THE FRENCH AUTHORITIES, IE THE COMMISSAIRE DE LA REPUBLIC
(V) THE AGREEMENT OF ALL RELEVANT LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND PARIS SHOULD FIRST DE OBTAINED.
4. THESE APPARENTLY SIMPLE CONDITIONS MAY HAVE LED STUMPF TO MAKE SOME OF HIS CLAIMS BUT WERE DESIGNED TO MAKE ANY SENSIBLE PERSON WITHDRAW INSTANTLY. THE AREA CHOSEN BY THE COMMISSAIRE DE LA REPUBLQUE FOR SETTLEMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS AN UNINHABITED ONE 100 KILOMETRES INLAND. THE FIRST EXPENSE WOULD BE TO BUILD A ROAD. I WAS TOLD THAT ROAD CONSTRUCTION THROUGH VIRGIN AMAZON JUNGLE
CONFIDENTIAL
/WOULD
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